SRSO

Keeping Our Children Safe

On August 14th, 2008 the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office released the second publication of “Keeping Our Children Safe”, a newsletter containing registered sexual offender and predators residing in Santa Rosa County , The newsletter contains the names, addresses and recent photographs of offenders and predators living in the county. The newsletter is to make citizens of Santa Rosa County , especially parents, aware of these individuals. In addition to the newsletter, the Sheriff's Office is also providing free Child ID Kits. See complete press release of August 15, 2008 for additional details. The newsletter and Child ID Kits can be dowloaded by clicking on the links.

New Sex Offender & Predator Alert System

On March 27, 2008 the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and local law enforcement unveiled a new and innovative feature of Florida's Sexual Offender/Predator Registry Web site. Citizens can now sign up to receive e-mail alert notifications when a registered sexual offender or predator moves into their neighborhood or within a radius of any other designated location. Citizens can also opt to track address changes reported by selected registered offenders or predators. The service is offered statewide and at no charge. Citizens may select an unlimited number of addresses and/or offenders and predators to track, and can update their selections at any time. The alert system will send e-mail notifications within 24 to 48 hours of an address change to the state's registry. Citizens are encouraged to register for alerts. Florida became the first state to list sexual offenders and predators on the Internet and to make the same information available through a 24-hour/day hotline. The FDLE Sex Offender/Predator Registry currently houses data on more than 47,000 registered sex offenders and predators and the Web site averages more than 500,000 searches per month. Citizens can register for the alerts by visiting www.flsexoffender.net.

Vishing Law Effective October 1, 2008

Most citizens today have never heard of the term "vishing" or the damage it can cause a consumer. As defined in Wikipedia the term vishing means "Vishing is the criminal practice of using social engineering and Voice over IP (VoIP) to gain access to private personal and financial information from the public for the purpose of financial reward. The term is a combination of "voice" and phishing. Vishing exploits the public's trust in landline telephone services, which have traditionally terminated in physical locations which are known to the telephone company, and associated with a bill-payer. The victim is often unaware that VoIP allows for caller ID spoofing, expensive, complex automated systems and anonymity for the bill-payer. Vishing is typically used to steal credit card numbers or other information used in identity theft schemes from individuals. Vishing is very hard for legal authorities to monitor or trace. To protect themselves, consumers are advised to be highly suspicious when receiving messages directing them to call and provide credit card or bank numbers. Rather than provide any information, the consumer is advised to contact their bank or credit card company directly to verify the validity of the message. There is technology that monitors all PSTN based traffic and can identify vishing attempts as a result of patterns and anomalies in call activity. One example is a multiple calls from a limited set of skype numbers to call centers." This may cause the victim to the scam by believing the caller to be a legitimate employee of a bank, etc and giving away their personal information. The new law making this specific a crime was signed by Governor Crist and goes into affect on October 1, 2008. The law does give an exemption for law enforcement should they have a need to use this type of service in their investigations. Click here to review the new law.

Trust Fund for Fallen Okaloosa Deputy

A trust fund has been set up for the family of slain Okaloosa County Sheriff's Deputy Anthony Forgione. Deputy Forgione was shot and killed early Tuesday morning on July 22, 2008 while entering a home at 331 Plymouth Avenue in Fort Walton Beach along with other members of the agency's Special Response Team. Deputy Forgione, who had been with the Sheriff's Office for nearly three years, leaves behind a wife and two young daughters. Citizens can make donations to the Deputy Anthony Forgione Benefit Account at any branch of Beach Community Bank. Sheriff Charlie Morris and the other employees at the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office appreciate the outpouring of support for Deputy Forgione's family and other OCSO officers that is coming in from residents here and from across the state.

New 2008 Florida Statutes

Please click here for information on the new 2008 Florida Statutes. This information is provided by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The effective date of these laws range from July 1, 2008 to July 1, 2009 depending on the individual statute. For quick reference please go to the bottom of the page you pulled up and see the index.

Protection for Businesses

Sheriff Hall has urged all local businesses to take advantage of a new program to help keep them safe. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has entered into a partnership with Florida's seven Regional Domestic Security Task Forces and has launched "BusinessSAFE" to provide businesses of all types and sizes with new tools to keep them protected. Businesses have the option of registering to receive electronic alert notifications by email, cellular phones, or PDA's. These alerts will provide information about breaking news, possible threats, suspicious activity, and specific preparedness and prevention techniques for your business. To sign up log on to www.fdle.state.fl.us at no costs to the business. FDLE will periodically send out electronic alerts although each business can access pertinent materials on the FDLE website at any time. For more information go to http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/BSafe/ or you call FDLE at 850-410-8690.

Emergency Numbers on Cell Phones

Sheriff Hall is urging everyone to take a moment and consider adding an ICE (In Case of Emergency) number to their cell phones. June is National Safety Month and it is the perfect time to ICE your phone as an easy and quick way to save a life. To make this even simpler his agency has developed a MAD form (click here to access) for you to complete and give to your emergency contact that is attached to the alert. Please feel free to copy as many of these as you need and encourage your family and friends to ICE their phones. As an added safety measure you can place a copy in our wallet and in your glove box.

Sheriff Promotes Children's ID Cards

Sheriff Wendell Hall is promoting his third joint partnership this year with the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to provide identification cards for Santa Rosa children between the ages of 5 and 17 years old. If anyone is interested the event will be held on October 25, 2008 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Families Day Out festivity at the Milton Community Center at 5629 Byrom Street. The cost to the public is $3.00 each. Each child must have an original birth certificate and a social security card or a passport. Once an ID is issued, the parents can then go to our website at www.flhsmv.gov and enter emergency contact information. This new system is designed to give law enforcement officials immediate access to contact information in the event of an emergency. There will be computer terminals available for parents to enter this information on site.

Detention Deputies Wanted

The Santa Rosa Sheriff's Office is looking for certified detention deputies to fill vacancies in the county jail. Beginning salary is $29,670.16 per year with a 5% increase for the first five years and a 2.5% annual increase thereafter. Single medical insurance is provided for the employee along with a $25,000 life insurance policy. All persons interested in the position should click here and fill out all paperwork required. If you have any questions please contact Captain Paul Campbell at 850-983-1170.

Sheriff Offers Citizens Firearm Safety Class

The Santa Rosa Sheriff's Office will hold another firearm safety class for the citizens of Santa Rosa County to familiarize them with the Florida Statutes as well as the safe operation of their handgun. Deputy Alvin Bicasan will teach the class at the Sheriff's Office Firearms Range. Successful completion of this course can be used when applying for a "concealed weapons permit." Each participant will need to bring their own handgun and no more than fifty (50) rounds of ammunition. The format of the course will be four hours in the classroom, a break for lunch, and then two hours on the range for the practical part of the course. All firearms are to be left in their automobiles until after the lunch break. After lunch, as the participants approach the range, their handgun must be secured in a holster or case and not out in the open. Their handgun must remain in that holster or case until the instructor tells them otherwise. An application is required for registration. The next scheduled class for October 25, 2008 from 0800 to 1700 (now full) with another to follow in January 2009. All citizens interested should download an application by clicking on the link:Citizen Firearms Training. Mail the application to: Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office, Training Division, 5755 E. Milton Rd., Milton, FL 32583.

In compliance with H.R. Bill 218, Sheriff Wendell Hall is extending an invitation to all area law enforcement officers to meet their requirement on the sheriff's office range. Bill 218 was passed stating retired law enforcement officers may carry a handgun without a permit by meeting certain standards. In order to meet those standards, the retired officers must qualify with the handgun they plan to carry. The Criminal Justice Standard and Training Commission of the State of Florida states that retirees must have a picture ID from the retiring agency. The ID card must state their retired status. The new law only applies to law enforcement officers that had statutory arrest powers. A "Firearm Proficiency Verification Card" in combination with their retired law enforcement ID card will allow them to carry a concealed handgun without a permit. Deputy Alvin Bicasan will conduct the class on Monday October 20, 2008.The class will begin at 8:00 AM at the Santa Rosa Sheriff's Office firing range at 5755 East Milton Road. As the participants arrive at the range, their handgun must be secured in a holster or some type of case and not "out in the open". Their handgun must remain in that holster or case until the instructor tells them otherwise. The qualification course will consist of forty (40) rounds. To pass, the participant must demonstrate proficiency of at least 80% (32 of 40 rounds in the scoring area). Bring the appropriate amount of ammunition as the proficiency requirement is to be demonstrated once. During the qualification, the participant's handgun must be in a holster that they can wear on their body and draw from. If the participant is shooting a semi-auto pistol, they need at least two (2) magazines capable of holding at least six (6) rounds each. At least two (2) speed loaders are required if a revolver will be used. Due to limited space, reservations are required. You must make your reservation in person at the Sheriff's Office with the training division and bring your agency ID. At that time a copy will be made of your ID and an affidavit of retired status will need to be signed. If you have any questions please call the Training Division at 983-1234.

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles has added an option to their D.A.V.I.D. (Driver and Vehicle Information Database) system so that Florida drivers can add emergency contact information to their database. The purpose of the program is so that the families of drivers involved in accidents can be contacted quickly and notified of the whereabouts of their loved ones. Any driver can input their emergency contact information by logging on to the following website and entering the required information: